LeBron James returning home to play for the Cavaliers is a great story in Cleveland, and it isn’t one the hometown newspaper is about to begin to sour by accepting advertising aimed at mocking the game’s greatest player.

A Miami radio show apparently wanted to buy an ad poking fun at James, but The Plain Dealer decided against it.

Representatives of The Dan LeBatard Show called the Cleveland media outlet on Tuesday to purchase a full-page advertisement in this Sunday’s edition of the newspaper, Northeast Ohio Media Group Vice President of Sales and Marketing Mike Maleski confirmed. NEOMG sales staff are responsible for ads in The Plain Dealer.

The show’s request was “politely declined,” Maleski said. …

LeBatard said during the show that the ad was not intended to be mean-spirited, but rather a way to poke fun at James and Northeast Ohio residents who watched him win two championships in Miami.

This isn’t all that creative, and honestly, isn’t even a clever way to chide James for leaving Miami after he led the Heat to the NBA Finals in all four of his seasons with the Heat.

The show mentioned the fact that James has yet to publicly thank the fans in Miami as additional motivation for wanting to run the ad, but is that really necessary? It’s likely a publicity stunt by the radio show more than anything else, and at least in that regard, the idea was a success.

Lebron doesn’t need to thank any “Heat fan”. The man got you 4 NBA Finals appearances and 2 rings. Honestly nobody should even care it’s over and done with. Move on and build for the future. Miami is still in a much better position than my Lakers. Howard left and the Lakers have failed trying to land a superstar thus far. At least Miami can still contend in the East with the roster moves that were made.

I watched a lot of Heat games and that place wouldn’t get filled into the 2nd Half LOL!! Trust me the Cavs fan will fill that arena to the core. Get over it Heat fans players leave it’s their right to do what’s best for them